Republican lawmakers lash out at Pentagon for keeping them in the dark [View all]

Source: Reuters

November 4, 2025 4:30 PM EST Updated 11 hours ago


WASHINGTON, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Republican and Democratic lawmakers slammed the Pentagon on Tuesday for not briefing them on national security issues and said at times top defense officials appeared to be undermining U.S. President Donald Trump's own policies, in a rare bipartisan show of frustration with the administration.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has worked to control the flow of information about the world's most powerful military and told Pentagon staff they must obtain permission before interacting with members of Congress.

During the more than two-hour-long hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, lawmakers said senior Pentagon officials were unresponsive to questions and concerns from Congress.

Senator Dan Sullivan, a Republican, singled out Elbridge Colby, the Pentagon's top policy official. "Man, I can't even get a response, and we're on your team," Sullivan said, adding that it was tougher to get a response from Colby than it was to speak with Hegseth or even Trump.

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/republican-lawmakers-lash-out-pentagon-keeping-them-dark-2025-11-04/